7 year old responsible for Monkshill desecration

March 24, 2014

Police have confirmed that the recent desecration of graves at Newry’s Monkshill cemetery was caused by a child. It is understood that the PSNI have spoken to the 7 year old in relation to the rampages which took place over two nights causing extensive damage to graves, including those of four infants.

In the first instance of vandalism, which took place on the afternoon of Thursday 13th March, around 20 graves were desecrated with crosses pulled out of the ground, flowers and wreaths strewn on the ground and lanterns smashed. No sooner had the wreckage been cleared up when up to 45 wooden crosses were pulled up and thrown around the graveyard on Saturday night, 15th March.

Bereaved families whose loved ones graves were destroyed in the attacks were left devastated at the wanton vandalism and there was outrage and disgust felt right through the community, with the story making headlines in national news.

Political representatives and residents seemed sure that the scale of the damage meant it could not have been caused by a young person so the revelation by police that a child was indeed responsible for such destruction has caused widespread shock and compounded residents’ calls for Newry and Mourne District Council to install CCTV and other security measures at Monkshill cemetery.